1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for human collaboration monitoring and intervention.
2. Description of Related Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications by author(s) and year of publication, and that due to recent publication dates certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-a-vis the present invention. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
Many small group tasks are vital to security operations. For example, tactical operation centers and counter-terrorism intelligence analysis teams operate in fast-paced, data-rich, information-poor settings where task performance error can have catastrophic consequences. Emergency operations centers like any future national Infrastructure Operations Center can face similar challenges of time, data overload, interpersonal obstacles, and mission criticality.
By 2010, a convergence of information and communications technology is foreseen that will allow design and operation of a completely novel human-machine system. This system will enable and support those human functions best performed by humans, while more fully exploiting machine capabilities. In a possible future, people will have dedicated appliances or “PALs”, which continuously integrate information about the human into an adaptive group system architecture referred to as “MENTOR”. Physiologic, personality, attention, and interpersonal factors are among the kinds of data that can serve as bases for algorithms enabling higher group performance. Humans and computers are thus not separate systems, but a single complex adaptive system with both autonomous explicit self-models and goals in the context of the human group's mission.
Any group of people with reasonable freedom to act comprises a complex adaptive system. Traditional approaches to information system design do not leverage the qualities of complex adaptive systems nor do they plan for the adaptability and evolution of such systems. Designs are more or less static and assume that the system can be constrained to certain tasks, means, and structures, without unintended consequences. These approaches fail to leverage human strengths and are not robust in rapidly changing environments or for unanticipated circumstances.
The introduction to a human group of technologies (even simple ones) with broad utility is known often to result in emergent properties and dramatic changes in performance and how work is done. Use of commercial office software, cell phones, pagers, e-mail, chatrooms, on-line games, on-line shopping, product barcoding, videoconferencing, and group collaboration software are all examples of technologies that have changed the way people think and work. In each case, many of these changes were unanticipated and resulted in new behavior and results.
The use of physiologic data and other monitoring (audio, video) creates opportunities for machine customization and adaptation to the individual based on attributes such as attentiveness, current focus of attention, emotional state, stress level, learning and social styles, and current level of knowledge or expertise. The analysis of this data can also be fed back to individuals or groups to improve knowledge management, and increase self- and group awareness. This awareness can increase learning and adaptation.
The full realization of this vision is dependent upon continuing growth of technologies in diverse fields, including high-bandwidth wireless personal communications, unobtrusive and non-invasive physiologic sensors, neuroscience, several social sciences, and real-time integration of small group dynamic models with cybernetic monitoring and assessment.
However, the present invention provides effective methods and systems for monitoring human collaborative activities and the ability to provide real-time intervention into such activities. Details of the invention and its testing may be found in A. Doser, et al., “Enabling Technology for Human Collaboration”, Sandia National Laboratories Report No. SAND 2003-4225 (Nov. 10, 2003).